Condition
by baran
Summary: Rex and Ahsoka struggle with their relationship while trying to fight the evil imperial regime.
1. Prologue

**Title:** Condition

 **Genre:** Romance (?)

 **Characters:** Captain Rex/Ahsoka Tano, Fives, Kix, Echo

 **Summary:** A certain clone Captain comes to a certain realization.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Star Wars, obviously.

 **AN:** I haven't written anything in years (for various reasons), so I feel like a complete rookie. I don't know if this will be a one-shot or something longer…

I am also not a native English speaker, so if you notice any mistakes please let me know!

Captain Rex was walking a hole in the floor of his tiny office aboard the Resolute. He was completely lost. He should just let a random clanker put an end to his misery. Why did nobody prepare him for this mess? He was supposed to be a command clone, he was supposed to know stuff. He sighed and ran a hand through his short hair. The problem - which was pointed out to him by Fives of all people - was a serious one. He had been thinking about it almost non-stop for the last few days - every waking hour, and there's been plenty of those lately, and couldn't get it out of his head.

He resumed his pacing. The realization came to him after the last mission, where he started acting irrationally when the Commander put herself in danger yet again.

Ahsoka was shielding a munition's shipment when they hit dirtside of some remote Outer Rim planet. She was unable to leave her post when the droid army had all but overpowered their forces and it was the last possible moment for their legion to retreat. He saw her struggle in the corner of his eye, but when a blaster shot reached her arm, he felt himself go into something that could only be described as a berserker mode.

The Captain quickly turned around and ran as fast as his legs could carry him, avoiding blaster shots and destroying as many clankers as he could. He vaguely remembered voices in his comm yelling at him to pull back, but he ran anyway. The rest of his memory was fuzzy and in the end he did manage to get to Ahsoka in time and out of harm's way. It was hardly anything unusual - a clone protecting a Jedi - but this stunt, especially performed by a seasoned vet like him made some of his subordinates worried. When they finally were safe aboard General Skywalker's flagship Fives, Echo and Kix cornered him in an empty corridor near his quarters.

„Permission to speak freely, Captain." Fives broke the silence first, ever so bold.

„Like you would listen if I said no." muttered Rex and tried to look menacing.

„We've noticed that you've been a bit distracted lately, sir." started Kix warily, glancing at his friends. „We were wondering if maybe you were aware of the reason of your… uh… condition."

„What the fek are you talking about?" the Captain growled and slowly met the eyes of every present clone. „Well?"

„You are infatuated with the Commander, sir, and it's getting worse with every mission." Echo said in an even tone, almost like he was discussing deecee's latest model with a brother, not informing his superior officer about breaking GAR regulations.

„Why would I be infatuated with Commander Cody?" Rex tried to play dumb, hoping they would drop the subject, but the three clones only gave him almost identical sour looks. Fives snorted.

„The other Commander, Captain. And if you say it's about Bly I will seriously start doubting your intellectual abilities. Face it - you have a major crush on Ahsoka!" The ARC kept looking at his Captain smugly while delivering his last line.

„We thought that we should be the ones to confront you about it, before somebody else noticed." Kix continued his brother's thought.

Rex was in too much of a shock to even start to think about refuting the false accusations. Because they had to be false, right…? There was no way in all nine Corellian hells he would EVER…

When he didn't say anything for a few seconds the three brothers decided it would probably be in their best interest to retreat now, before the Captain had a chance to react properly.

„Just… think about it, sir." Fives muttered, looking behind his shoulder at his stunned superior officer and swiftly following Kix and Echo in the direction of the mess hall.

And think about it he did.

He lay awake in his cot. It was way past lights-out, but the words he heard from his brothers kept repeating in his mind like a broken holo-recording. A crush - him? On the small, over-exuberant Togruta Padawan? He snorted quietly. It was as ridiculous as an idea of Hutts running a charity organization. It was logical that he rushed to her rescue, they were trained to protect the Jedi, were they not? It was also perfectly normal that - while he didn't remember what exactly happened during his mad dash to rescue Ahsoka - he distinctively remembered the feel of her against his armor as he carried her through the battlefield and the fact that Kix had to pry his fingers from her waist when he finally reached the medbay. After a short dip in bacta she was cleared to get on with her on-board duties she came to him and thanked him quietly, her lekku twitching in what he learned to interpret as embarrassment.

He grinned at the memory of her - alive and well. It was all he needed. That and making sure his brothers were also taken care of. After Umbara he'd spent a long time pondering his duty to the Republic and the GAR. All his upbringing and training was about following orders, unwavering trust in his superiors and the belief that what they were doing contributed to something much bigger than their individual lives. It felt good to have a purpose, not to question your own existence. He'd been a perfect little Captain, one of hundreds in the well-oiled machine that was the GAR.

General Krell had destroyed all that. Those horrible events made Rex realize that there was no perfect goal they were striving for, no glory in death at the battlefield. The only thing he could do was to fight for those he regarded as his friends and family, and hope that his actions helped them somehow.

Usually he made a point not to share his burdens with anyone, but a nosy little Togruta seemed to go out of her way to get him to talk when he was in a bad mood, sulking in the hangar. Almost as if she was monitoring him through the Force, which seemed improbable.

He told himself he wasn't important enough for her to care so much about his wellbeing; after all, he was just a clone. Every time she appeared by his side during those moments he felt guilty pleasure wash over him. He selfishly wanted her to comfort him, to put a hand on his shoulder and talk only to him.

At one point he almost fell of the crate they were sitting on, when she informed him, quite matter-of-factly, that he was her best friend.

„Wha…? But what about Commander Offee?" he awkwardly tried to cover up his almost-fall by shifting his body away from Ahsoka.

„Well, she is my best girlfriend… But have you ever tried talking to her? I mean, she's nice and everything, but she wouldn't know a joke if it bit her in the bum."

„And I know good jokes?" the clone looked at the Padawan incredulously, trying not to visualize jokes as tiny gundarks chasing the Mirialan, trying to chew on her nether regions.

„Rexter, you know the lamest jokes in the whole Galaxy and I love them. And you have this serious expression on your face when you tell them, it's ten times funnier than the other clones!" she laughed. His heart skipped a beat at the word „love", but he quickly quenched any emotions that threatened to emerge.

„Well, sir, I heard a new one from Fives a while ago." he declared, trying his best to keep his face a stone mask.

„Oh please, do share." Ahsoka beamed.

„Why can't you trust atoms?"

The Togruta raised her eyebrows and looked at him expectantly.

„Because they make up everything."

This time it was Ahsoka who fell off the crate.

The Captain laughed silently at the memory. Over the past two years they shared many such moments, and each one was precious to him. He basked a little more in the positive feelings which the memory unlocked, but after a few moments he frowned again. Even if he felt more for his Commander than he should, he could do nothing. There were GAR regulations and the Jedi Code, and he would not risk her future just to satisfy his needs. He was sure she wasn't interested in him anyway; the meaning of all the private talks, brushes of hands, smiles and pats on the back was surely over-exaggerated by his hyperactive brain. Rex sighed. No use in thinking about something that will never happen. Even if he wished it did.

Which led him to present day: after hours and hours of over-analyzing his and Ahsoka's every word and gesture he had to face the facts.

To put it simply - Captain Rex, a hardened veteran of the elite 501st was in love.

With a superior officer.


	2. Chapter 1

**AN:** Thank you for reading, reviewing, following and favoriting! :D

The previous chapter was sort of a prologue to a story which will include action, romance and - hopefully - a bit of humor.  
It starts a few months after Order 66 and will include flashbacks, characters from the Legends and lots and lots of AU stuff.

I'm trying to double-check my spelling, grammar and every fact in the SW universe, but if you notice something's amiss - please let me know.

I have the main plot outlined and I will try to post as often as I can, but I run my own business, so sometimes I can't find the time to get a decent night's sleep, and sometimes I'm moping around the house in my PJ's for a week...

Anyway, enjoy!

Chapter 1

When they'd met on Generis all those months ago he was a complete wreck - not only physically, but also mentally. He did not know was it Force at work or pure luck that brought them together, but he was sure that if she hadn't found him there in the grimiest part of planet's spaceport he'd be a dead man right now.

Before all Cornellian hells broke lose, he was almost getting used to the nightmares, even those concerning Umbara, but no amount of training or experience had ever prepared him for the total carnage his unit - _his own Legion_ \- inflicted on the Jedi Temple. He couldn't compare the nightmares after that to anything he'd dreamed about previously…  
He shook his head. Now was not the time to wallow in self-pity.

Someday, he'd have to tell Ahsoka about that event and try to describe the unspeakable, but definitely not now. All she knew was that he had his chip removed and ran away from Coruscant in a stolen civvie shuttle they had since then retrofitted and renamed _Spark,_ which was currently going through the docking procedures onboard Senator Organa's _Tantive IV_.  
He glanced at the young Togruta in the pilot's seat. He knew she was eager to meet the Alderaanian. She kept in touch with all the Senators who were in the anti-war group in hopes of forming some kind of resistance against the new regime. Rex smirked in spite of the nervous knot in his stomach. Yep, he was definitely ready to stop moping around in the Outer Rim and start seeing some action.

Ashoka gave him a small smile.

„Here goes nothing, Rex." she sighed and pushed herself up from the pilot's seat. „Let's hope that Senator Organa needs our services…"

„He'd be a _shabla_ fool not to use our skills. Or, at least, yours." the clone tried to make his tone reassuring, but he had a few doubts of his own. The messages they got from Organa were cryptic at best. They had no idea if he was even interested in fighting this new Empire. Rex and Ahsoka were outcasts and had nothing to lose, but the Senator on the other hand was responsible for his planet and there was word that his daughter was born not so long ago…

But they were already walking down the ramp and it was pointless to analyze such things.

„Ahsoka!" Bail Organa's voice was as pleasant as always. „I cannot express how happy I am to see you!" The Senator opened his arms in a gesture of welcome, but his eyes widened when he saw Rex, two steps behind his ex-Commander. The Alderaanian guards gripped their blasters tightly. _Sloppy. If I was the enemy I would'a taken them out already._ Rex thought with discontent.

„Senator, there is no cause for alarm. Captain Rex a friend." Ashoka raised her hands in a placating motion. „He didn't take part in Order 66." she added in a quiet tone.

Bail looked unsure for a brief moment, but then shook his head lightly as if to clear his mind.

„Well, it certainly is a surprise, but if the Captain is indeed our ally, I must say it is a pleasant one. Dependable, skilled being are hard to find these days. Now, would you like to refresh yourselves after your journey or shall we begin straight away?" he said smoothly.

„We'd like to start now if that's all right with you, Senator." Ashoka glanced at Rex behind her shoulder and they gave each other a reassuring nod.

„Please call me Bail. There is no need for formalities among friends… Follow me."

The Alderaanian led them to a small conference room in the representative part of the ship and dismissed his guards. Rex could practically feel Ahsoka's nervousness, which was quite surprising, because she was hiding it pretty well. He briefly wondered if it was his observation skills or the amount of time he'd spent with her that enabled him to read her so well.

When they sat down at a small simple wooden table the Senator looked at them, a frown marring his usually pleasant face.

„First of all, I would like to thank you for agreeing to this meeting. I realize how hard it is for you to come out of hiding…" he started, and Ahsoka gaped at him, surprised.

„Bail, it is us who should be thanking you for taking your time to meet with us. We are wanted fugitives, and you are a Senator and a model citizen. Associating with us could be fatal for you!"

„Plus, you may not like what we came here to talk about." added Rex in low tone.

„I can say the same." Bail leaned back in his chair and smirked at them. „I'm almost one hundred percent sure that what I am proposing is way more insane."

The trio fell silent after this declaration, no one willing to test Bail's statement just yet. After a few uncomfortable moments the Senator sighed and grew serious once again.

„I know - more or less - what you've been doing since you left the Order, Ahsoka, thanks to your messages to me and senators Mothma and Chuchi. I must admit, though, it is shocking to see you, Captain…" Organa nodded at Rex „… but it can certainly be used to our advantage."

„Our advantage?" Ashoka raised one marking above her eye questioningly.

„All of this is still in the planning phase, but we would like you to be involved from the beginning. We need your experience, skills and abilities to form an Alliance to Restore the Republic." Bail said and gazed at the other two occupants of the room steadily, gauging their reactions. Ahsoka's eyes widened slightly, but soon a slight smile broke out on her face. Rex's expression remained stoic, but he could feel his heart beat faster and blood roaring in his ears. They came here to ask for the sympathetic Senator's aid in forming a few simple rebel cells in the Outer Rim, and here he was, proposing a Galaxy-wide resistance. He was right, the idea was insane. Exactly the type of insane they needed right now. Rex couldn't contain his grin at the thought.

„I take it you are interested?" the Senator asked, a tiny bit of smugness detectable in his voice. Ahsoka and Rex glanced at each other and a sort of silent communication passed between them.

„Senator." the ex-Padawan looked Organa right in the eye. „We'd be happy to assist you."

ooo

„Commander, we have a lock on _Tantive IV'_ s hyperdrive signature. It appears they jumped to the Anoat system." a non-clone junior officer clicked his heels and snapped a salute.

„Very well, program our hyperdrive to come out behind Pujool's third moon. I do not want them noticing us too soon, is that clear, Sergeant?"

„Crystal clear, sir!"

Commander Cody looked at the tactical display of his brand new _Arquitens_ -class light cruiser in deep thought. He never knew he would be given a mission to spy on Senate's members, but anything that posed a threat to the legitimate government he'd fought so hard to establish had to be destroyed. He clenched his gloved fists. Even former allies.


	3. Chapter 2

AN: Thanks for reading! If you can, leave a comment! :)

Chapter 2

The meeting lasted for a few hours, during which the Senator explained to them the basics of his plan. The most important mission entrusted to the former Commander and Captain was to find reliable recruits, train them and eventually form a base in some remote part of the Outer Rim. They were discussing safe ways of communication and covert transferring of private funds when Bail's comm chirped.

„What is it, Lieutenant?"

„Sir, there is a _Arquitens_ -class imperial cruiser hailing us. They demand that we let them aboard." a nervous voice informed.

„Did they state their business?" the Senator asked calmly, but Rex could practically hear the wheels in the older man's head whirring.

„They claim they have a warrant to perform an inspection, sir." the last part of the sentence was laced with disgust mixed with fear.

„Stand by, Lieutenant, I will be at the bridge shortly." Organa stood up swiftly and looked at Rex and Ahsoka seriously. „Do you have any legitimate ID for your ship?"

„That was the first thing we took care of." Ahsoka said, crossing her arms „But I'm more worried about them finding us on their scanners. Do you have any place on this ship that we can hide in?"

ooo

Three minutes later a clone and a Togruta found themselves crammed in the engine room, tucked between the reactor and coolant pipes. The level above them was visible thanks to truss floor, that was supposed to make the space cool faster, but it was becoming more and more stuffy with every second. Rex's civilian clothing was getting damp and suddenly he felt self-conscious. Ahsoka, whose body temperature was naturally cooler, was pinned between Rex and the pipes, facing him. She also looked visibly uncomfortable, but Bail assured them that the radiation from the reactor core could successfully jam any scanning done by the Empire and should not cause any sickness. The ex-Captain was a bit sceptic about that, but currently every coherent thought had problems getting through to his brain, especially when his partner wiggled uncomfortably against him.

"I think there's a flux capacitor digging into my butt." she grumbled. „I hope this inspection doesn't last very long… And what in the Force has Bail done to earn it?"

„Uh…" Rex answered. Ahsoka was distracted enough not to comment on the intellectual content of his reply and wiggled some more. Rex felt his eyes roll to the back of his head. _Please, let this hell end soon…_

„I think I can hear them!" the Togruta whispered excitedly. „Be quiet, Rex!"

He could only gape at her, but after a few moments heard the steady steps of Imperial troopers and regained his focus. Two beings stopped a few meters above their heads.

„Commander, this is a consular ship. We are not smugglers or pirates, I do not see the need for your people to board and investigate anything. I have to remind you that I have diplomatic immunity." they heard Bail's stern voice.

„And we have a warrant signed by the Emperor himself, Senator." an equally stern, but familiar voice replied and the duo below had to stifle a gasp. Rex and Ahsoka glanced at each other with wide eyes and then simultaneously looked up to stare at standard issue clone trooper boot soles. The Togruta felt her partner stiffen even more than before, something that she thought would be impossible.

„Very well. But I expect this intrusion to last no longer than it is absolutely necessary." came the Alderaanian's curt reply and they saw that the two humans above started walking again.

„I will also need the ship's passenger manifest and the list of cargo…" Cody's voice was getting quiet, and in a few moments the only thing they could hear the faint hum of the engines.

„We're alone" Ahsoka whispered and glanced at Rex uncertainly.

The Captain had a faraway, unfocused look in his eyes and the ex-Padawan had trouble sifting through the storm of emotions he was projecting.

„It's… hard." the clone said quietly after a long pause, visibly struggling to find appropriate words. „I haven't seen a brother in… a long, long time. You have to understand, I've never been away from them in my entire life and…"

„And Cody is one of your best friends and seeing him like this is difficult." Ahsoka finished with a sigh. She could imagine what Rex was going through - seeing one of your own on the enemy's side was not an experience she wanted to repeat after Barris's betrayal.

„Not only that… The last time I saw my brothers…" Rex flinched and looked away, his eyes suspiciously wet. He did not want Ahsoka to see him like this.

He couldn't tell her about the terrified faces of the Padawans and younglings left at the Temple at the mercy of the 501st. He couldn't even begin to explain her former master's role in all of this. And sure as hell he could not bear to remind himself of the number of his clone brothers he had to turn his blaster on to get away from Coruscant.

He felt his chest constrict and a painfully familiar panic started to overwhelm his body. In his haze he could only ruefully think that this was not a good place for a nervous breakdown until he felt a cool hand touch his rough cheek. She was looking at him intently and he found himself drawn to her gaze.

„It will be okay. You don't have to tell me now." she said soothingly, at the same time trying to ease his mind with the Force. „I mean… you don't have to tell me at all, I just think at some point it would be good to get it all off your chest and all…" she was visibly getting worked up now and Rex had to raise his eyebrow in slight amusement, his dark thoughts banished for the moment. „I don't want to be nosy, but I do care about your well-being, you being my partner and all, we should be able to talk about anything, right…? Oh Force, I'm blabbing, I should probably shut up now. Okay, shutting up." she exhaled, exasperated, and rolled her eyes. „Why do I always make an idiot of myself in front of you?"

„I think all the times you've saved my shebs greatly outnumbers those times when you think you've made an idiot of yourself, so I think you'll be all right, kid." he said with a small grin.

„I thought we discussed the „k" word, didn't we, Rex?" she huffed and tried to turn away from him, which only resulted in him trying to conceal a groan when her lekku rubbed against his chest yet again.

„Okay _Ahsoka_ , could you _please_ stop moving and wait patiently until we can get out of here?"

He was pretty sure he heard her snicker and could do nothing but bang his head on the reactor's reinforced durasteel cover. This inspection could not end too soon.


	4. Chapter 3

AN: Thanks for reading everybody!

I realize that this is all starting a bit slow, but I'd like to set the stage somewhat before I dive into anything more. Also, as I get used to writing in English the chapters will be getting longer and - hopefully - better-written.

If you'd like to offer some suggestions, don't hesitate!

Chapter 3

„Do you think we'd be able to get some of my brothers out?" Rex said suddenly. They were both sitting in the _Spark's_ cockpit, staring at hyperspace lines, both deep in thought when the clone interrupted the silence. It had been two days since the meeting on _Tantive IV,_ and Ahsoka could see that her companion was distracted. She didn't want to push him, so the trip had been mostly silent until now; it certainly felt good to hear his voice again. She frowned, thinking about his statement.

„Honestly, Rex, I don't know. We have no idea how the chip's altered their brains and if they even want out." she finally said quietly, not wanting to hurt him with her words, but not intent on giving him false hope. He exhaled slowly.

„What if I told you that I wasn't the only one who had the chip removed?"

„Wha…?"

„I spread the word as much as I could… Wolffe did it, some of the guys in the Wolfpack and the 501st… Kix and Coric helped us do it, and they performed the procedure on themselves too. I know that Coric didn't make it out of Coruscant, but maybe…"

„Rex." Ahsoka said gently, but firmly and placed her hand on his cheek, turning his head. His breath hitched a little in his throat. „If there is any chance to get those guys out, we will find a way. But I don't want to find you disappointed and blaming yourself if something goes wrong." She was looking deeply into his eyes now, trying to convey all her support and care for him. „Senator Organa told us to look for allies, right?" she added, a mischievous glint finding it's way to her blue irises. „Who's better then a bunch of trained soldiers?"

Corners of Rex's mouth went up a little bit, but then another worried expression marred his features. „Ahsoka, I don't want to force them into anything… If we get them out and they don't want to help us…"

„… then we will go our separate ways as friends." the Togruta finished sternly. „I will not ever enslave anybody. You have my word, Rex."

They were staring at each other for a few moments and Rex marveled at how she'd matured in such a short time. She was the most compassionate, beautiful being he'd ever encountered and he couldn't fathom what he'd done to deserve her friendship. He must have been staring at her too intently, because she was looking at him with a strange expression, one he wasn't accustomed to; her lips slightly parted, eyes shining and… expectant? What… Could this be the thing that Fives was telling him about…? But he couldn't risk their friendship because of his urges or „what if" scenarios in his head…

The hyperspace alarm ended the moment and they both awkwardly sprang into action, getting ready to decelerate.

„So… who's the contact we're supposed to meet here?" Ahsoka asked as they approached Borgo Prime, an Outer Rim spaceport with bad reputation located on one of the asteroids off of the Hydian Way.

„The Senator said that he'd be waiting for us in the Banhta's Tail Tavern. He's a human male, about thirty five standard years old, Corellian."

„Well, that description narrows it down…" the Togruta rolled her eyes.

ooo

The Tavern was crowded, in spite of the early hour. Rex figured that on a space station like this most beings did not concern themselves with such trivial things like sleep cycle or social stigma of consuming alcohol before noon. He doubted that most of the patrons even had time to sober up after the previous night, or were they ever sober. The pair deftly avoided an inebriated Twi'lek staggering towards the exit and Ahsoka used a light mind-trick on a Zygerrian who wanted her comm frequency. Rex didn't even blink when the fellow approached them, because he was certain that his partner was more than capable of handling the situation on her own. They finally meandered to the bar where the bartender acknowledged them with a grunt.

„Whyrren's." Rex said gruffly, trying to blend in. He rarely frequented bars, even when his unit had been stationed on Coruscant.

„Make it double." Ahsoka said, leaning her back against the bar casually and scanning the crowd, but still managing to catch a particularly dirty look the clone shot her.

„Relax, Rexie. I'm of age now… Besides, this is Outer Rim. Abstinence is suspicious."

Finding no counter-argument he handed her a glass that may have once been clean filled - thank the Force - with a lot of ice and just a little whisky. He smirked when she made a face after her first sip.

„May I buy you a drink that would perhaps suit your tastes better?" the smooth voice startled them both momentarily. Ahsoka looked to her right at a man sporting a well-trimmed mustache who apparently appeared out of thin air. „And then maybe I could have better chance of getting your comm frequency than the previous gentlebeing…" he said, smirking a little.

„Buy me one of those with a tiny umbrella and you have a deal." she quipped and at the same time scanned the man with the Force. He radiated calm and confidence, but underneath it she could feel a deep, simmering pain. „Let's find a free table, shall we?" Ahsoka nudged Rex in the ribs lightly, hoping he could stop glaring at what she was hoping was their contact.

„It seems" the man started the conversation again after they were seated in a private booth „That we have some common friends of the… senatorial calibre."

The pair of rebels look at each other and relaxed visibly, though Rex had the „we're not out of the woods yet, kid" face.

„But let me introduce myself. My name is Garm Bel Iblis." he continued more quietly, a certain wariness marring his previously calm tone. Ahsoka's eyes widened in surprise.

„You mean… the Bel Ibis?" she said slowly.

„You seem surprised to see me here." Bel Iblis stated more than asked.

„Well… yes, you are the Senator, and because of your actions Corellia did not take part in the war… I thought you were against any military action."

„I was against joining the clone wars because I thought that it was all a sham and a threat to my people." the Cornelian said darkly and shifted his gaze to Rex. „But you already know that, don't you?"

The clone looked away from the Senator, not wanting the memories resurface right now. This was not time or place to make a fool of himself. He felt a cool, small hand on his larger one and exhaled slowly, basking in Ahsoka's comforting presence.

„That doesn't explain why you're here" he said, raising one thick eyebrow.

„Let's just say that I have no love for the Empire and I will be your second contact after Bail if things go south. I can move more freely than him, because I've been known to disappear for weeks at a time - it keeps me and my wife from murdering each other." the Senator said with an eye roll, but Ahsoka could feel the emotional strain he projected. „But I am here today just to say hello and deliver a small sum to start our operation." He raised his glass, filled with Corellian ale. „As the Bothan saying goes, may all our endeavors be successful."

They all drank to that.


	5. Chapter 4

A/N: New chapter, new characters! Also - a time-skip.  
Thank you guys for reading, leave a comment if you can!

Chapter 4

Cody was stomping down the empty corridor barely containing his irritation. The new recruits were proving to be even more useless than the previous ones. Their average score in the shooting range was over fifty percent lower than that of the clone troopers, their endurance was laughable and they were undisciplined, arrogant, whiny brats. And to think that the Carida Academy was supposed to train the Empire's future elite! Whoever thought sending civilian children to the army was a good idea had to have a screw loose.

The other thing that kept the higher-ups breathing down his neck constantly was his failure to find any proof of Organa's disloyalty. The man - aside from his irrational anti-military views - was squeaky clean. Working on the Senate's war relief committee, distributing aid for Mid Rim planets where the economy's received the worst blows, being a model husband and a father to a baby girl… Cody didn't know whether to admire the man or be frustrated that he couldn't. find. a kriffing. thing.

On top of that he had been hearing disturbing reports of skilled clone troopers going MIA over the last year. Every time it was a good, seasoned soldier, usually an acquaintance of Cody's. At first the disappearances were infrequent, one or two cases a month. Said clones vanished and nobody saw their bodies, which sometimes happens in times of war, or, as the brass now liked to call it - establishing New Order.

The Commander frowned as he tapped his data pad to upload the latest report on the disappearances. Finally, after almost a year somebody noticed this suspicious activity and Cody was assigned to investigate under the guidance of Grand Moff Tarkin. The clone huffed a little in irritation. The speed in which the man was being promoted was a constant thorn in Cody's side, especially given the fact that the clone Commander himself hadn't been offered a higher rank in years.

Willing the unproductive thoughts away he concentrated on the material that could prove to be a break in the case. Two standard rotations ago a trooper he knew well was sentenced to death for treason. Cody was not informed of this, but it was not surprising, since the position of clone officers was getting weaker and weaker every day. ARC trooper CT-21-0408 Echo was busted out of the military prison by an unknown organization and fled in an as of yet unidentified shuttle. While Cody was somewhat grateful that the ARC wasn't dead he also had a gut feeling - a one he didn't like, but had to check anyway - that the missing troopers could all be deserters. He couldn't even fathom how would Tarkin react to these news, but he's bet his deecees that it would not be a pretty sight…

ooo

 _Smell of burnt flesh and heavy footsteps on the ancient stairs._

 _Yellow eyes glancing at him with disgust._

 _Coric's face a second before he took a blaster bolt to the chest meant for his Captain._

 _Children wailing and crying…_

Rex woke up to his own voice, strained from the screaming. Ahsoka was hovering worriedly above him, her hands on his arms, shaking him. He looked at the figure on her right and froze in shock; it took him a few heartbeats to reorient himself and remember what the hell was going on.

„I'm sorry I woke you guys up" he croaked and nodded gratefully at the Togruta when she passed him a glass of cool water, but her frown only deepened.

„It's been the third time this week, Rex" she murmured and sat down at the foot of his mattress.

„It's nothing" his voice suddenly turned cold and he hated himself for the disappointed look that momentarily appeared on her face. It was over a year and a half since the massacre in the Jedi Temple and he still couldn't bring himself to tell her about it. At this point he felt it was already too late; that she would hate him if she knew how long he'd kept the vital information about her Master from her.

„We'll be coming out of hyperspace soon, sir" a voice much like his - but calmer - informed him. Rex looked at Echo's thin face and exhaled slowly, recalling last days' events.

ooo

It was not their routine extraction mission. Usually they would contact the trooper covertly, set the time and place and make everything look like another casualty during a mission. Having freed over fifteen clones, they had enough experience and skill to make things go smoothly. This, however, was an entirely different operation - a jail break.

When the last clone they got out told them that Echo of all people was being held in a military base on Yaga Minor, awaiting death sentence for treason against the Empire - apparently he denied a commanding officer's order to shoot a civilian, they did not have much time to plan. The imperial justice system was known to deliver punishment swiftly and effectively, so time was of essence. The intel they had on the place was sparse - the base on the small Outer-Rim planet was established after they both left the GAR, and was rumored to be one of the worst, backwater places one could find themselves when in imperial custody.

Bel Ibis provided them with new imperial transport codes, so the _Spark_ could pose as an independent contractor's ship, delivering supplies. Both of them could not show their faces; Rex was obviously too recognizable and the Empire's growing distrust of „aliens" made Ahsoka a target of suspicion. The clone donned a grimy space-pirate's armor and a strange breathing apparatus that changed his voice and the Togruta did was she was trained to do - sneaked around.

It turned out that the new non-clone personnel was less than adequate and the spotty sergeant didn't even bat an eye when Rex announced in a wheezy voice that he had to use the fresher before unloading the supplies. In the meantime Ahsoka glided to the nearest console and got in using a highly modified and highly illegal slicing disc, also a courtesy of their Corellian friend. She didn't even want to know where he got all that stuff.

After a quick check of the prisoner's list she sent the cell number to her partner's comlink and crawled into the ventilation shaft. Rex's job was to create a distraction while she sneaked into the detention block and got Echo out.

Getting in proved to be easy enough. A few Force suggestions, a stolen key-card and a ruckus made by the ever-reliable Captain provided her with enough time and opportunity to get a bewildered Echo out of his cell safely. Fortunately the ventilation shafts were big enough for him to fit; it was both a curse and a blessing that he was so malnourished.  
They managed to get to their ship just in time to see the mean-faced sergeant walk into the cargo bay, berating Rex for the trouble he'd caused.

„…and this great Empire doesn't need you pirate scum, so you can say good-bye to your contract!" Ahsoka had to roll her eyes in amusement at Rex's stance and the twitching of his hand. She was sure that the last time a lowly servant was giving him a verbal bashing was when he was about four standard years old. Having secured Echo in the small med-bed in the spare cabin she sat by the table in their tiny kitchenette and patiently waited for her partner to come back.

ooo

„Sir, are you really okay?" Echo asked quietly when Ahsoka darted out of Rex's cabin to take care of the piloting.

„Yes. And I told you, it's Rex now. The GAR is gone" the older clone said, pinching the bridge of his nose and trying to fight the oncoming headache. When he opened his eyes he saw two small painkiller pills in Echo's outstretched hand.

„I think you should talk to somebody" the ARC's tone was even, as usual, but this time Rex found that it was more irritating than soothing.

„Yea, yea, as soon as I get all this Empire mess sorted out" he grit his teeth, but took the pills anyway.

„So…" Echo's mouth twisted in a rare grin. „Are you and the Commander…?"

„Shut. Up."

The ARC was promptly kicked out of Rex's cabin.

ooo

„Commander, may I have a word?"

Cody stopped mid-stride and turned around to look at the man addressing him. His eyes widened for a moment and for the billionth time he was grateful for his trusty bucket. The red-eyed, blue-skinned person wearing an admiral's uniform was definitely not human, which, given the current racist imperial policy, was quite shocking.

„Of course, sir." his instincts kicked in and he snapped a perfect salute.

„I am here to help you with your current investigation." the admiral's voice was cultured, calm, almost… pleasant.

„Thank you, admiral…?"

„Thrawn. Admiral Thrawn, Commander."


	6. Chapter 5

AN: Here it is, the next chapter, slightly longer than usual and with lots of Ahsoka (I love her character too much to ignore her for too long). It was fun to write and I hope it will be fun to read!

May The Force Be With You!

Chapter 5

Ahsoka's lekku curled in irritation.

It had been a few days since they reached their temporary hideout on Ventooine. The planet was backwater enough that the Empire didn't have any interest in it… yet. It proved to be a secure location, and they could easily transport the rescued clones, nurse them back to heath if such need arose and prepare them for life without the military. It had been a grueling process for some, especially the younger ones who never did any undercover work; their training was rushed and they lacked experience. For them, normal civilian reactions were alien, and they performed them like really bad and stressed out actors at first. Ahsoka's work with them based on bringing out their individual characteristics and teaching them to control the flash-learned impulses. Some have already left the small base, half choosing to try living on their own, and the other half preparing to join the rebels and train new recruits when the time came. There were now seven clones, including their newest addition, Echo, residing in the old farm house which Ahsoka bought with Bail's money. Wolffe, Hardcase, Jesse, Kix and Jet, the youngest member of the Wolfpack, were all working alongside her and Rex to make the deserters life easier.

But it was Ahsoka's life that was proving to be increasingly difficult. Oh, she was used to fighting and her survival skills were at their finest. She had the funds and means to slowly, but steadily build a movement that would fight for democracy. She also had a clear goal ahead of her - even if it wasn't completed in her time, she knew she was working for an ideal that was larger than life, which had always been her drive. Those things - concerning the Force, ideals and battles - she could handle easily, but what frustrated her to no end was her non-existent personal life.

She was sure the Force was trying to tell her something, but she had no idea what in seven Corellian hells was that. The only thing she was sure of - it concerned Rex.

She sighed and turned in the direction of a small forest near their house. Her footsteps became slower and she tried to soak in the feel of the Living Force around her, hoping to gain some clarity. In the past weeks she started seeking solitude, and was pretty sure that some of the troopers, Kix especially, noticed. The clones were used to having no privacy and if left completely alone their minds tended to deteriorate. The one they had rescued half a year ago, Gregor, had a crazy glint in his eye, so Ahsoka was slightly relived when he decided to commit his life to hunting creatures named joopa on some backwater Outer Rim planet. But she was no clone trooper and needed some time on her own, so to hell with Kix's knowing looks.

After about half a click she found a meadow with a big tree stump in the middle and decided it was a perfect place for meditation. Since quitting the Jedi Order she found herself meditating more and seeking guidance from the Force. She smiled ruefully as she thought of her instructors, trying to make her stop squirming during the long meditative sessions in the Temple. She was never a model student like Barris, maybe that's why Master Yoda decided to give her an unconventional teacher… Ahsoka winced inwardly at the memory of her former friend and Master.

 _Anakin… What happened to you…?_

She sat on the tree stump and exhaled slowly, opening her mind to the Force swirling around her, trying once again to reach her Master, but, like all the previous times, she found only a black, cold void where his warm presence had once been. She did not understand what it meant - she had felt the horror and anguish as the Temple's younglings, her fellow Padawans and some of the Masters close to her had died, but there was nothing from Anakin. Perhaps it was the fault of their severed bond, that left an unhealed wound on each soul…? Ahsoka wished, not for the first time, she had a wise Master like Plo Koon od Obi-Wan to talk to. But even they would not be able to help her with her current problem.

Right. Back to where she started. Rex.

He was her best friend, of that she was completely sure. He had proved himself countless times, he was her rock, her protector, confidant and partner in crime, that is why it was fairly obvious that she always had strong feelings towards him. When she was younger she told herself it was a teenage infatuation, and that it would soon pass - she would have to be blind not to fancy a perfect male specimen who spent so much time with her - and there could not be anything more than friendship between them. She kept telling herself that when she went to see him right after quitting the Jedi Order.

ooo

Ahsoka paced uncertainly in front of the clone barracks on Coruscant. She was half glad half terrified that the 501st was stationed in the Republic's capital for the time being. She was scared of her best friend's reaction to the news she was about to deliver, but she also absolutely had to talk to him before leaving. And maybe… just maybe, ask him the unthinkable.

Finally bracing herself she turned in the direction of the officer's quarters, hoping that her courage wouldn't leaver her when it came to knocking on his door. Arriving in front of his room she held her breath and raised one hand to knock at the same moment the doors swooshed open and she came face to face with a haggard looking Captain Rex.

„You…" he whispered in a gruff voice. He kept looking at her with an intensity she had not experienced before and she could do nothing more than stare back at him. Was he angry? Did he know what happened? Did he still think she had something to do with the death of the clone guards in prison…?

Suddenly, he let out a small groan, yanked her hand and pulled her into his quarters, the door behind closing automatically, narrowly missing her lekku. He pulled at her hand a little more and before she knew what was going on he had her in a strong embrace, one hand cradling the back of her head, one securely around her waist. She was too stunned to say anything, but after a few moments Ahsoka just decided to go with it and wrapped her arms around his bigger frame.

She didn't know how long they had stood there, but she found that she didn't mind at all. For the first time in days she felt at peace.

„I thought… Those few days, I thought I'd never see you again." she heard him mutter and for some reason his words and his breath on her lekku sent a shiver down her spine. „I don't know what I would have done if the General didn't find the real culprit."

„I'm fine now, Rex." she said quietly, needing to reassure him, but not wanting to ruin the moment. Raw emotions like this were rare for her Captain.

„Just knowing you're alive is enough for me." she flinched slightly at his words, but, deciding it was time for their talk, slowly started disentangling from the embrace, trying to ignore her companion's disappointed look.

„This is war, Rex. I can't assure you that I will survive it. Each of us can die at any given moment and you know that…"

„I am used to the idea that I or one of my brothers will die - that's what we were bred for. But you… you are too young and too important…"

„Every life is important! But… actually, I wanted to talk to you about something, so we'll have to save that discussion for later" she smiled slightly, hoping to lighten the atmosphere in the room, but he just kept looking at her, brow furrowed. She sighed and let her shoulders sag. „I have a very strong feeling in the Force that what had happened was not an isolated event."

„What do you mean? Do you think it's some kind of conspiracy?"

„Yes… I don't know yet what is it's purpose and who is behind it, but I believe I was targeted on purpose, not just because it was convenient for Barris to lay the blame on me."

„I agree, she couldn't have had the resources to pull all that by herself. She had to have help from the outside. That is why I'm so kriffin' pissed at the military tribunal for just closing the case." Rex's eyes narrowed as he thought about the way Tarkin managed everything and the Chancellor's suspiciously quick judgement. Ahsoka was once again amazed at the depth of his insight and the long road he traveled from being an obedient clone officer to an individual who dared to question the reality around him. „So, what do we do, Commander? Start our own private little investigation?" he smirked slightly.

„The thing is… I am no longer your Commander, Rex. It's just Ahsoka now."

„WHAT? They did let you back…?! How can they do that after they'd kicked you out like a bunch of sleemos…" the Captain started pacing back and forth in his small room and the Togruta had to repress her laughter at the agitated clone.

„Whoa, whoa, Rex, calm down!" she waved her arms up in a placating motion. „I resigned."

A long silence followed.

„You did what?" he uttered finally.

„You keep repeating that word…" she chuckled, but when she saw his unamused expression , she turned serious again. „I felt that I could no longer live in an Order that did not stand by me in my time of need, only required more and more sacrifices. Besides, I think that the conspiracy is strongly connected to the Dark Side and is somehow infiltrating the Order itself… If I am to discover anything, I need to do so from the outside" she explained as calmly as she could, hoping he would understand her point of view.

„But… How are you going to manage on your own out there? If it is a conspiracy, you'll need resources to uncover it!" she could feel conflicting emotions raging in him. He slumped tiredly onto his cot and cover his face with his palms. After a long silence during which she was sure that air completely left her lungs he looked up at her, resignation in his Force signature. „Ahsoka…" he started softly and she trembled. How could she leave him…? „I will go with you."

Her knees almost gave out under her, but she willed herself to stay strong. There was no way he could go with her and not be in grave danger. She was sure that she would be hunted by as of yet unknown forces, and while she did not doubt his battle skills, she did not wish that kind of life for him. Besides, as a deserter he would have to be shot on sight by his own brothers. She couldn't do that to him.

„No" she mumbled and when he looked at her incredulously she gathered her strength to defend her argument. „You can't become a deserter because of me."

„I don't see any other reason that would be worth becoming one" he said quietly and she was momentarily amazed at the depth of emotion she felt from him, but couldn't yet decipher.

„You have your brothers and Anakin to take care of" she countered and almost flinched when she heard her own argument. That was a low blow, playing on his sense of duty. „We will meet again, Captain. I hope it will be under more favorable circumstances." she said finally, when he did not move from his spot on his cot and did not offer any counter-arguments. She felt like a coward, running away from him like that, but she did not know why. Wasn't it supposed to be her protecting him? Thoughts swarmed her head and she knew that there was much left unsaid between them.

She lingered in the doorway.

„See you soon, my friend" she uttered before turning and all but sprinting down the hallway.

 _Coward._

ooo

She now knew what her own emotions told her that day.

She was in love with Rex.

That was the reason she chose to leave on her own, but couldn't go without saying goodbye. She didn't let him go with her because she knew he would be torn between his sense of duty for her and his men. She knew it was an impossible decision for him, so she made the choice for him. Now she was haunted by it and wondered everyday if it was the right thing to do.

She was sure that what he felt for her was friendship and duty, but she realized was too much of a child for him to be interested romantically. It was the reason she decided to just ignore her feelings when they finally ended up traveling and fighting together again, because she did not want to ruin what was best between them. The problem was he kept distancing himself to the point where he would no longer speak to her about anything that did not include their rescue plans, organizing rebels, or keeping their group well-stocked. She wondered - was she that repulsive? Or was it something else, something he experienced that made him so closed…?

She slowly opened her eyes and glanced at the chrono on her wrist. It has been two hours of meditating and she only came up with more questions. Ahsoka let out a small sigh and pushed herself up from the tree stump. _Well_ , she mused, _I guess it is time to finally talk to someone_.


	7. Chapter 6

Hi guys, thanks for reading! This chapter focuses more on a domestic side of the clones. I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 6

Kix was standing over the stove, trying to prepare a decent dinner. Usually they lived on pre-packaged meals brought from the spaceport, because nobody really had the time and skills to cook. The medic, however, was bent on learning the difficult art - he figured that if they were meant to be normal members of society, they should start mastering something that did not involve dismembering clankers, or, in his case, patching brothers up. Cooking seemed like a pleasant pastime - one could immediately see the results of one's actions, plus the reward for trying was usually a happy, satisfied stomach. Unless they let Hardcase anywhere near the pots and pans. The man was a real culinary menace.  
Kix added some extra fat nuna wings and unevenly sliced fresh celu to the soup. For someone so experienced with a scalpel he was still getting used to the idea of „julienne". He grimaced at the word in his cookbook datapad, blinking at him accusingly.

„You'll burn a hole in it if you keep staring like that." Ahsoka's voice was slightly amused and when Kix turned around he saw her leaning on the door frame casually. The situation would be perfectly normal if not for the fact that she had been avoiding him for the past few weeks, especially since Echo joined their little group. The medic thought briefly of Echo's thin frame and added another fatty nuna wing to the boiling soup.

„You know a clone is always aiming for perfection" he said and shrugged his shoulders.

„That can be pretty frustrating, I guess…" she also shrugged and took a seat on a stool near the counter where the clone was preparing their dinner. At a first glance she appeared relaxed, but years of caring for his CO's well-being made him aware of her tells. She was bracing for something, and he was eager to find out what it was, but pressing her could prove to be counter-productive in this case, so he waited.

„If I get better at this it will benefit all of us, so you can tolerate my frustration for a bit more." he glanced her way before resuming the steering.

„Yeah… Frustration…" she repeated absent-mindedly and Kix saw his chance.

„Something frustrating you lately…?" he bit his tongue before he said „Commander". Ahsoka was trying hard to teach them to loosen up and drop the military jargon and he did not want to steer her away from the main topic of their conversation.

„Actually, I wanted to talk to you for a while if it's okay" she said in a small voice and he was reminded of a fourteen year old child that joined the GAR what seemed like eons ago.

„That's unusual" he remarked with a raised brow and started mixing jas beans with some spices and honey in a wooden bowl. He tried to appear concentrated on preparing the meal.

„Why is that? You want to tell me that I don't usually talk to you?" the Togruta seemed a bit offended at his response, but the medic just smirked slightly.

„No. What I'm saying is that you usually joke and talk about light matters with all of us - something we greatly appreciate by the way - and you leave the serious talk for Rex. He's the one you're seeking advice from, so I'm just wondering what happened."

Ahsoka's shoulders slumped slightly and she looked at the hardwood kitchen floor.

„I'm worried about him. He doesn't seem like himself and when I ask what's going on he just ignores me… And it's getting worse. He's a blur in the Force and I don't know what to do anymore…" she sighed and looked up at the medic, who finally put down the spoon and turned to her, giving her his undivided attention. He was suspecting something like that to come up, but he did not have any answers ready for her. It was not his place to explain.

„I've noticed that he's not sleeping well…" he started reluctantly.

„I know! And every time I wake him up from a nightmare he says it's nothing! I can't help but think that it has something to do with… what happened at the Jedi Temple" the last part of the sentence was delivered in a sad whisper. „Maybe if I…"

„Maybe if you what?"

„Maybe if I said yes that time after my trial…" she saw lack of understanding in the clone's eyes and decided to tell him what happened that day in the GAR barracks on Coruscant. „Rex told me that he'd go with me that day when I left the Order" she saw Kix's eyes widen for a brief moment and continued her explanation. „I rejected his offer and practically ran away. Now I wonder if things could've been different if he deserted then".

Kix was momentarily stunned into silence. He knew that his Captain had very strong feelings for their Commander - he even confronted him about them a long time ago - but he did not realize just exactly how deep they ran. He wondered if the Togruta knew.

„Ahsoka… I don't know what happened in the Temple, you know that" he said cautiously. He had been assigned to the Coruscant military hospital for additional training that day. Comic - as a senior medic - recommended him and not a day has gone by that Kix was not feeling guilty that his friend and mentor did not make it. „I think that whatever happened down there may have caused a trauma he's trying to deal with now."

„I don't know if he can deal with it on his own! I know he's tough, but there are times nobody should be alone!" she looked at him, her eyes shining with irritation.

„Rex has a great deal of respect for you. He probably doesn't want to burden you with whatever's bothering him."

„But I want him to bother me! We've always listened to each other, we were best friends! Now I feel he's distancing himself and I just can't take it. I need him close to me…" Ahsoka sighed and hid her face in her hands. Kid resumed his mixing. It seemed that both of his former COs were in dire need of taking their heads out of their shebs. For their sakes and for the sake of the entire group; frustrated beings did not make good leaders.

„I'll try to talk to him after dinner" he said quietly and heard the Togruta stand up from the stool. She leaned on the counter and gabbed a spoon to stir the almost-ready soup.

„Thanks, Kix."

„No problem ad'ika. Remember, we're family" he said with a lopsided grin, quoting the words that she repeated to every deserter in their group as often as she could and was relieved to see her soft smile. „Now let go of that spoon before you ruin our dinner. You're almost as bad as Hardcase."

ooo

„…Your Highness, I do not think that the Holonet Security Act is what the galaxy needs right now. I believe that we need to show our citizens that we trust them to be responsible sentients. We cannot trade our freedom for a vague promise of security. I urge my fellow Senators to vote against the Act! Thank you" Garm pushed a button on the console of his podium and it slowly glided back to it's assigned place. He saw a few Senators clap at the end of his speech - Mothma, Organa and Chuchi among them - but it was far from enough. He certainly did not miss the half-annoyed, half-disgusted look the Emperor was bestowing him with. Bel Ibis sat proudly until the end of the session, but when most of the beings left the chamber and he sent his aide to the office to sort out today's paperwork, he slumped tiredly in his chair.

The Senate chamber looked like he had remembered it from the time when he himself was a young aide to the Corellian Senator, but the atmosphere felt more oppressive and dark. He wondered how it had come to this? Every being in the Senate had their mouths (or other organs meant for communication) full of democracy, ideals and freedom, but when it came to voting, most were weak and afraid… The Emperor had them all wrapped around his bony finger, and Gram did not like it at all. He cringed when he thought what his wife would say about his speech today. She was probably watching the session at their Coruscant home. She firmly believed in the new order that the Emperor proclaimed, and the Holonet Security Act was one of it's pillars. On paper, it's purpose was to protect the younglings from harmful things that lurked in the depths of the Net, but in reality it was a tool to control the citizens. Garm frowned. Maybe it was time to start using a more fitting word - subjects. He pushed himself up from the seat and slowly walked towards the exit, when suddenly he felt himself being pushed against the dark wall.

„What the…"

„I wouldn't scream if I were you" a masked figure holding him firmly against the durasteel rasped in a digitally altered voice. A bounty hunter…? Bel Ibis's eyes widened. „My employer suggests you stop yapping in the Senate if you know what's good for you. That's just a friendly warning…" the Senator felt the hand on his throat tighten and his vision blurred. A few seconds later he was left gasping on the floor, alone, panic building slowly in his gut.


	8. Chapter 7

AN: Hey guys! Sorry for the delay, work is hectic right now... If you have any comments, feel free to post them! :) Thanks for reading!

Every day spent working with the Admiral was proving to be enlightening in some way. Cody could plainly see why the Emperor placed so much faith in the alien, for he was the most competent, intelligent and fair commanding officer he had seen in the Imperial Navy. They were currently onboard the star destroyer _Scylla_ , orbiting Kamino. Cody had no desire to go back to this place, but he did not voice his displeasure, as any obedient officer would. Too many memories - both good and bad - were connected to this place, and they evoked feelings he was no longer comfortable with, but he figured that he was not born to be comfortable. He frowned slightly when he remembered one particular bet he had struck with Rex during their command training that almost ended with Cody drowning and Rex reconditioned. Only General Tii's timely intervention saved them that time… But now was not the time to dwell on the past and think about the Jedi. His thoughts were not in the least important, after all. The Commander saw a movement in the corner of his eye and a fraction of a second later bellowed

„Admiral on the bridge!" He watched with satisfaction as the clones stood at attention at once, almost as if controlled by an invisible force, and the other occupants of the bridge scrambled to compose themselves.

„Thank you, Commander. At ease, men" the admiral said in an even tone and sat in his chair, face resting on one of his palms, as if deep in thought. After a moment, Cody felt the piercing red eyes on him. „Tell me, Commander, what do you think when you look at that planet?"

The clone officer stiffened immediately and again was grateful for the helmet on his head that hid his initial shock at the question.

„Sir… I don't think I know exactly what you mean…"

„This is a fairly simple question. What are you thinking right now?"

„Uh… I think about my brothers, the time that I've spent there, my training… It's not something very deep, sir." Cody felt embarrassed and exposed. He almost forgot how it felt when a superior officer asked him for insight. Not since Obi-Wan… But these kinds of thought were definitely not the type to share in the Imperial Navy.

„Were you thinking about something specific?" the Admiral raised one black eyebrow and stared at him, unblinking.

„I was recalling the time when one of my brothers challenged me and we both ended up nearly dying because of our actions. We were in command training together and initially hated each other, but after that incident we became friends" the commander did not want to get into detail, especially considering Jedi involvement, but he could see Thrawn was reading a lot more from his brief explanation than he would like.

„I see…" the Chiss was silent for a moment and leaned back in his chair. „The purpose of our visit to Kamino, Commander, is to learn more about clones, that is why I will be asking you various questions and I expect you to answer truthfully. It will certainly help me get the edge over your creators. The Kaminoans guard their secrets very well, but I admit that I may possess the intellectual abilities to get the information I need out of them" the Admiral said with slight smugness in his tone and Cody's eyebrows rose almost to his hairline. It was very rare for the alien to show any kind of emotion. „It will be crucial for us if we want to solve the mystery of disappearing clones, and maybe in the process we will gain some knowledge that will prove to be useful otherwise. Knowledge is power, after all."

„Im my line of duty, sir, lack of knowledge usually means death."

„Well said, Commander. Well said indeed."

ooo

After two weeks of sitting idly in their base Rex was restless. Communication with both Organa and Bel Iblis was getting more and more difficult, because both had credible information that they were being watched. Until some of them found a good form of contact they were limited to encrypted messages, exchanged in the deepest parts of the holonet and occasional face-to-face meetings.

Having woken up again the wee hours of the morning, covered in cold sweat and heart pounding, Rex needed a distraction, so he headed to the shed and chose the most mind-numbing and exerting work. While he was awake his stress levels were fluctuating like crazy, but at least he felt more in control of the situation than in the dream world. Sometimes, when he felt himself slipping he had to get away from the house; he learned to anticipate the waves of anxiety and disappear. He feared he would hurt one of his brothers or Ahsoka, which was one of the worst feelings he had ever had. A few weeks before they rescued Echo he had been feeling particularly edgy and was walking to the field to work and maybe calm down a little. It turned out that the men had made a target out of a scarecrow and were holding an impromptu shooting contest. The sight of clones firing blasters, the most normal thing in the galaxy for him, made his mind go into overdrive. Before he knew it, he was gripping his deecees and pointing them at his brothers. His breath was coming out in shuddering puffs and - thank the Force or some kind of deity that has been watching over him - his vision blurred. Than he heard Wollfe shout „Rex!" and the spell was broken. He remembered mumbling some lame excuse, turning around and running like hell, as far from his brothers as possible. Rex shuddered at the memory. Every day, he was contemplating leaving the group, but all it took was a glance at Ahsoka and his plans were evaporating. He was an idiot.

Kix found him in front of the shed door three hours later, sitting on a large pile of chopped wood. His captain was staring off into the distance and his expression was decidedly not that of a content man. The medic sighed, but concluded that this moment was as good as any to breach the subject his vod had been ignoring for so long. He acted on Ahsoka's behalf, but sooner or later he would confront his captain, with or without her prompting him. Rex's reclusive and erratic behavior was starting to affect the whole group, especially Echo who was still vulnerable after enduring so long in the Imperial prison. To survive they needed an anchor, a steady presence - all that Rex was during the war, but now seemed to have lost.

„Rex" he said in greeting before sitting on one of the yet uncut logs, angled so he could see both the captain's profile and the entrance to the house. He didn't want somebody to walk in on the conversation he was planning on having.

„Kix" Rex nodded, acknowledging him. Well, that is a start. The medic braced himself.

„I'd like to talk to you for a while if you don't mind" From the look on his face Rex obviously did mind, but Kix pushed on bravely „About your current condition. I am your medic, after all."

„I don't see any blaster burns on me" the captain snorted defensively. The younger clone had to repress the urge to roll his eyes.

„You know very well what I'm talking about, so do us both a favor and be honest with me now. Why are you acting like this?"

„Like what?"

„I don't know… maybe like Ahsoka's radioactive? Like you'd like to be anywhere but here? Like you'd rather face a battalion of clankers than talk to your vode?" the clone medic could see that the captain's head sank a little lower with each accusation he threw at him, but Kix knew that the direct, if not blunt approach was the best way to get through to his brother now.

„I've just been having problems sleeping and I'm tired, that's all there is to it" Rex's voice was flat, but the medic's trained ear noted a hint of weariness and sadness in his tone.

„With all due respect, that's a ton of osik and you know it. I didn't have a chance to diagnose you properly, but in my opinion you may be suffering from PTSD or depression" he looked at the sour-faced captain seriously „We can help you, but you need to let us. You need to talk to us, talk to Ahsoka. She's worried sick about you!" at this Rex's eyes widened slightly, but then he rubbed his grimy palm on his face tiredly and returned to his default expression.

„Well, she shouldn't be. My well-being should be the least of her concerns now."

„You don't get to choose who worries about you or who cares about you. And I suggest you take your head out of your Hutt-damned shebs before she gives up on you and settles for somebody else" Kix noted Rex's shocked visage with no small amount of smugness, swiftly stood up from his log and sauntered casually back to the house to get started on breakfast. When he reached the kitchen, though, he let out a breath he had been holding since the end of the conversation - acting cool was really taxing. But if his words did not jump-start his stubborn vod into action, he honestly did not know what would.


	9. Chapter 8

A/N: A difficult chapter ahead... It sure was difficult for me to write, that's why it's so late and it's so short. :/ I'm still not completely happy with it, but here it goes.

If you feel like leaving a comment, please do so! Thank you for reading and BIG thanks for the reviews! 3

Chapter 8

Captain Rex shook his freshly shaved head in a vain attempt to try and fight the dizziness. Coric told him that it could last up to five hours after the procedure, but he did not have that long, he was already close to being late to the briefing with General Skywalker. After Fives's death, he had a private word with some of his most trusted brothers and a few of them decided he was not completely crazy. They were risking a lot - after all they were Republic's property, not to be tampered with - but he took issue with somebody implanting him with something that was meant to make him more obedient. In his opinion, he was obedient enough. If only there was a way to get the message through to more of his brothers… He would need more time and resources. Something suspicious was happening here and he would have to get to the bottom of it, for the sake of his vode. He shook his head once again, to clear his thoughts, especially those involving obeying superior officers and a certain planet called Umbara… It would do him no good to overthink matters now. He would only have to hope that he could keep his bucket on long enough, so that the hair on his head would conceal the small scar.

He entered the briefing room quickly, a small sigh of relief escaping him when he noticed that the meeting had not started yet. The General arrived a few moments later, an ugly scowl on his face making him look menacing. There was also an odd yellow glint in his General's eyes and an aura of barely controlled anger; lately his mood swings were getting worse and worse, ever since… Rex shook his head once again. Better not to go there, even in his thoughts. The wound was still fresh, the Ahsoka-shaped void in his mind pulling every happy thought and memory in like a kriffing black hole.

„We have a new mission. The Chancellor ordered us to move to the Jedi Temple immediately." Skywalker's tone was harsh and no one present dared to ask any questions, although the Captain could see that his troopers did not understand what was going on - what there some immediate threat inside the Temple? Maybe a second terrorist attack…? Did the Jedi younglings need their help? Deciding he would find out when he was required to, Rex turned around and the remaining clones followed him to their transports.

The flight to the Temple was brief and every trooper was unusually quiet. On a normal day, they were chatting idly through their comms, but now the men were eerily quiet. Rex felt little hairs on his neck raise and he was filled with a sense of dark dread - there was something wrong going on, but he couldn't pinpoint exactly what, and the worst thing was that his gut was telling him to hurry up and get it all figured out before everything went to hell. Soon - too soon - the 501st were climbing up the grand staircase. They passed a few younglings and Padawans along the way, as most of the Knights were still fighting on the front lines. The Captain noticed that Skywalker's frown deepened even more. Now his face looked like a stone mask of hatred - the clone instinctively moved away from his superior officer.

Suddenly, his wrist comlink beeped and a small, cloaked figure appeared, blue light flickering. Rex heard a raspy voice say

„Execute Order 66."

And then all Corellian hells broke loose.

His men - men he trusted, led to battle countless times, visited in medbays, trained with - they were gone in an instant, instead replaced by something he could describe only as flesh clankers. He watched in horror as almost entire legion stiffened, mechanically pointed their blasters at a group of younglings at the main entrance and fired.  
The time seemed to slow down. Rex watched in horror as the younglings closest to the entrance fell down the steps, their faces twisted in incomprehension. The remaining kids froze in shock, the suddenness of clone's actions rooting them in place. The sight of their terrified faces seemed to clear Rex's mind and he started shouting through the comm

„What the kriff is going on?! Have you lost your shabla minds? Stand down, NOW!"  
Few of the men glanced at him over their shoulders and answered mechanically in the words he knew all too well.

„Good soldiers follow orders."

„I just gave you and order! STAND DOWN!" he was becoming aware of the desperate strain in his voice and wondered if the troopers could feel his will cracking. He felt as if he was surrounded by wild animals, and it was sickening.

„Sir! It's the chips, they are not controlling their own actions!" he heard Coric's voice over the private comm.

„I know! But how do we stop them?!"

„We can't do anything, their minds are gone." the medic's tone was grim, and Rex knew that it always meant the situation was bad.

„The General, maybe he can control the situation…" he whispered, eyes scanning the large antechamber. Just as he located Anakin, he saw a Tholotian youngling, the one that Ahsoka told him so much about, run up to the Jedi, probably asking for help. Rex watched, his limbs paralyzed with shock, as Skywalker's face constricted in a horrible grimace, and a second later his brilliant blue blade pierced the girl's chest. As her body crumbled to the floor and the General turned to look at him with his sickly yellow eyes the clone realized he'd been screaming.

„Is there a problem, Captain?" Anakin snarled. Rex could feel his mouth moving, but no sound came out. He was rooted in the spot and could feel his decees starting to shake in his hands. „You are going to follow orders" he could feel his will weakening under the Force mind-trick.  
„Good soldiers follow orders" his brothers's words echoed in the ancient Temple.

His hands, holding his trusted blasters tightly, rose against his will. He could not see where he was pointing the decees, sweat clouding his vision, but he could hear Coric's voice over the comm, shouting something… he couldn't understand words, everything was blurred and he could feel fear, heart gripping fear unlike anything he had ever felt before. He knew that his fingers touched the triggers and suddenly there was red.

Rex woke up panting.


	10. Chapter 9

AN: Thank you all who reviewed and read this story so far! Sorry for the long wait, work has been crazy... Anyway, enjoy and if you have any comments or ideas, don't hesitate to write me! :)

„Thank you for your time, Lama Suu. The Empire is grateful for your cooperation." Admiral's even voice reverberated through the oval chamber. The Chiss stood up from the egg-shaped chair and inclined his head slightly in the Prime Minister's direction. Cody, standing near the entrance at attention furrowed his brow under the protection of his bucket. Why was the Admiral thanking this long-neck? This meeting proved to be just another political waste of time, and they learned nothing. He could not help but admire Thrawn's patience.  
The Admiral was silent on the way to their shuttle. In spite of Kaminoan's many invitations, he preferred to stay on board his star destroyer for the duration of the visit - not that the Commander could blame him. Thrawn's personality - as Cody began noticing - had many quirks, and the clone could not be sure if they were normal for his race or if the Admiral was unique in that way, but what was the most perplexing of all was the Chiss's love for art. Cody had seen his fare share of fine pieces when he'd been stationed on Coruscant, but usually their owners were not very interested in the things themselves, only in the prestige they signified. Thrawn was different - he collected various objects almost maniacally and studied them for hours in his chambers onboard the Scylla. His current fascination was Kaminoan art.

„It was quite a fruitful meeting, don't you think, Commander?" the voice startled Cody out of his musings. They reached the Admiral's private quarters.

„Sir?" he put as much polite questioning in his tone as he could. His bucket off, the Admiral could see him arching one eyebrow.

„You must learn the art of subtlety if you wish to extract information from the likes of Lama Suu. He's quite the politician." Thrawn's lips pursed in a ghost of a smile. Cody rarely saw an expression on his CO's face and wondered if the Chiss did not believe in non-verbal communication or if the Admiral just enjoyed putting his interlocutors off.  
„With all due respect sir, we were not made to be subtle. Our main purpose in life is to blast stuff" he answered matter-of-factly.

„I think you underestimate your potential, Commander. Tell me, when Lama Suu was talking about the neuro-chip production, did you notice his pupils become a little bit more… shall I say, milky?"

Seeing Cody's incredulous face Thrawn pushed a button on his private console and a large hologram appeared in front of the clone. It was an oval, white-blue sculpture which - Cody assumed - must have been abstract art, because it did not remind him of anything.

„This is a very famous piece by Lin Aah, the most revered Kaminoan sculptor. It's title is ‚motherhood' and I think you can notice by the symmetrical, strong lines and a clear color scheme that it symbolizes all that is good and true in their culture. According to my research, pure white or mother-of-pearl is the color of truth - also when an individual's eyes are clear, it means they are telling the truth. On the other hand, when they get clouded or milky, it signifies that the speaker is not entirely truthful; it is an involuntary reaction, like humans blushing. Nevertheless, not many people are privy to that information. After all, Kaminoans are a fairly unknown race and they wish to keep it that way. All I have to do is ask the right questions and watch closely, and all that I wish to understand unravels itself before me."

Cody stood for a while, speechless, trying to absorb all the information. He never really paid any attention to culture or art (the exception being his men painting less-than-appropriate decoration for their LAATi in the times when it was still permitted) and not for one second did he think of using it to extract information.  
„I see now, sir… But, I have only one question, if I may" he said carefully, trying to put his mind back in order. Working with Thrawn, he was slowly getting used to loosing and then regaining his intellectual footing in a matter of seconds.

„Go on."

„Why do we need to understand the nature of the chips to find the missing clones?"

The Admiral looked at him with his piercing red eyes, his face again expressionless.  
„I thought it was fairly obvious. I need to understand how you operate to solve this problem."

„But sir, I can tell you exactly how every clone thinks and operates." Cody tried not to sound exasperated. Why were they spending so much time on something so obvious? But Thrawn only arched one navy-blue eyebrow and continued to stare at him.

„Can you, really?"

ooo

Hardcase thought himself to be a man of simple needs. A clone like him required sleep, food and something to do to stay sane. While the first and second need was being fulfilled like never before in his short life, he was lacking action - to be specific, some action that involved lots of heavy guns and a nice amount of explosives. He knew that the Comm… fek, Ahsoka meant well and he was infinitely grateful to her and Rex for getting him out of the hell that was the Imperial Military, but man did he carve a good fight! He was, after all, engineered to be a warrior - maybe he got a bit more of those genes than the rest of his vode, though.

He sighed and kicked the dirt in their little vegetable garden that Kix insisted they start. Clones, farming! The long-necks would have a collective stroke if they saw what this rag-tag group of their creations was up to. Hardcase was not entirely sure if long-necks could have a stroke, but it certainly did not stop him from fantasizing about it. He grabbed his shovel when he saw a very dirty look that Wolffe shot him and, deciding it was not wise to mess with the Wolf Pack's alpha, resumed digging the small holes for the topato bushes.  
Jesse - his long hair and beard obscuring the tattoos now - was usually on market duty, buying ingredients for Kix's new creations and Hardcase had to admit he was a bit jealous of his brother; at least he got to interact with other beings and could move more freely. He also usually brought back some treats for his brothers - probably because he was feeling guilty that he got the interesting job - and that made Hardcase wait for his speeder every time he was expected back from the local bazaar. When he heard the repulsor's whine in the distance he put his shovel firmly in the ground and headed towards the porch, his stomach grumbling in anticipation of snacks.

He rounded the corner and was about to send some playful verbal jab at his brother, but when he saw his charred clothing and grim face the words died in his mouth.

„Where's Ahsoka?" Jesse almost growled.

„In the kitchen with Kix" the other clone said quickly. „What the hell happened?"

Jesse shook his head mournfully, his mouth set in a thin line.

„Call everybody. We have to get out of here."

It seemed that Hardcase's wish for more action would soon be fulfilled. As he ran through the house and hollered at everybody, he only hoped that it wouldn't come back and bite him in the shebs.

ooo

Cody was still speechless when the comm beeped and he heard the deck officer's indifferent voice.

„Admiral, sir, Grand Moff Tarkin wishes to speak with you."

„Put him through to the comm in my chamber." Thrown said curtly, clearly not happy at the interruption. A moment later Tarkin's visage filled the space the Kaminoan art was previously occupying.

„Admiral" he drawled „I have received new orders from the Emperor himself. You are to pause all your current operations and engage Order 37. Our targets are larger settlements in the Outer Rim."

„With all due respect, sir, our investigation is finally bringing some results, I simply cannot abandon it right now." Thrawn remained calm as usual, but Tarkin's face contorted with anger with every word the Admiral uttered.

„That is His Majesty's direct order, _alien_ , and I suggest you obey if you know what is good for you" he sneered „I will be expecting you near Ventooine in two days time" with those final words the connection was shut and an eerie quiet filled the chamber. Cody looked at the Admiral, staring at the inactive console in front of him, hands folded in his lap. The clone had a feeling they were both thinking the same thing - Order 37 meant slaughter of the civilian populace and Cody was not meant to hear about it before the official contact from the Emperor. Thrawn directed his gaze at the Commander once more.

„I will ask again - can you?"


	11. Chapter 10

AN: So, I watched the new Rebels trailer and it gave me a kick to write (that and the fact that I'm finally on vacation!). Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy this new chapter - I know I enjoyed writing it! :)

Rex was assembling their emergency kits methodically but quickly, his face set into a grim mask. He knew something like that would happen sooner or later, and they were prepared - all traces of clone presence would have to be eradicated, which meant the house would have to be burned to the ground. They have secured enough flammable fuel to burn a whole village if they wished and Jet along with a very eager Hardcase were already preparing for it while others prepped the ship and gathered supplies. Rex's vision blurred slightly and he swiped at his eyes irritably. Now was not the time for the effects of insomnia to catch up on him, so he grit his teeth and swung three huge bags filled to the brim with meds, spare power packs, rations and bacta patches on his back and jogged back to the _Spark_. Ahsoka was standing on the ramp, levitating bags and boxes into their cargo hold, her lekku twitching in aggravation. His body moved without him realizing and he stopped himself only centimeters before he touched her shoulder in an attempt at consolation. They both stilled for a fraction of a second and their eyes met for the first time in weeks. Ahsoka's grew darker, an emotion Rex couldn't put a name on swirling in them, but the moment was lost when she glanced at his outstretched hand. He withdrew quickly, dropped the bags and ran back to the house for the last batch of their resources. He was too far to hear Ahsoka's low growl and see that she almost slammed the boxes she was levitating into unsuspecting Kix. The medic deftly avoided two hundred kilos of military rations flying his way and rolled his eyes at his vod's stupidity and Ahsoka's temper.

„Move your shebs or do you wanna be the welcoming committee?" Wolffe's voice was muffled as the clone was in the captain's chair, finishing the pre-flight procedures, but everyone on board could hear the strain in it.

„How bad is it?" the Togruta made a quick job of moving the rest of the crates and boxes and joined the former captain on the bridge.

„The scanners pick up one Victory-class Star Destroyer and a few frigates, but my gut tells me it's not everything they've got."

„Jesse, how was the situation in the town when you were leaving"? Ahsoka said, pushing the intercom button to communicate with the clone, who was already being strapped in their makeshift med-bay by Kix.

„… I said you are overreacting, vod! Oh, sorry Commander!" apparently the team's medic finished packing his prized supplies and was now in full mother-hen mode. „There was already about one-third of a battalion in the town when I decided it was time to leave the party, but they were all acting very strange, like there was no bigger plan, no strategy, no enemy. They were just… destroying stuff."

„I have a bad feeling about this." Wolffe shook his head and checked the shields for the third time.

„Yeah, me too…" Ahsoka nodded slowly and concentrated, trying to get a better read on the situation. „Tell Rex to get back here, we're leaving." As soon as the words left her mouth, a powerful explosion could be heard - and seen - in the distance.

„Was that… No, impossible!" Wolffe's fingers moved deftly on the ship's console.

„What the fek was that?!" shouted Hardcase on his way to the laser canon.

„Planetary bombardment! But why?" Wolfpack's Captain shouted back in astonishment.

„This is kriffing bad. Wolffe, move." Ahsoka growled.

„Yes, sir!"

"Is everyone on board?" she shouted through the intercom and when a chorus of clone voices reverberated through the ship she pulled the main engine's lever to the maximum. „This may require some tricky flying, so strap yourselves in, boys! Hardcase, Jet, are the canons ok?"

„Ready to kick some Imperial shebs!"

„Good, we're breaking the atmosphere, be careful of the fighters!"

As soon as they left the planet's atmosphere Rex tumbled onto the bridge and strapped himself in in the navigator's seat and began calculating the jump to hyperspace. He turned his head when he heard Ahsoka's enraged hiss. Three more Star Destroyers jumped into the system and were now blocking their escape route. The bridge became quiet, save from an occasional beep from the nav-computer.

„Civilian shuttle, this is Imperial Star Destroyer _Scylla._ The entire system is now a restricted area" an eerily familiar voice came out of the comm's speakers and Rex sat a little bit straighter in his seat. „Be prepared for boarding."

„Imperial Star Destroyer _Scylla_ , this is shuttle _Eopie's Kick_. Please be advised that we are transporting off world patients infected with Red Shadow Virus, extremely contagious. We do not recommend boarding." Ahsoka said, wincing at the low quality of her lie. She could practically hear the clone on the other side roll his eyes, but they needed more time. She saw Rex typing furiously at the nav-computer.

„ _Eopie's Kick_ , you will have to come up with something better than that. For your own good, do not attempt to resist. _Scylla_ out" transmission finished, the Togruta turned to the other two present on the small bridge. Her Captain finished calculating the hyperspace jump, all they needed now was a clear way out. Ahsoka gabbed the helm and was about to start one of her trademark physics-defying maneuvers, but suddenly the ship jerked sharply.

„They are pulling us in with a tractor beam" Wolffe informed her sourly.

„It's Cody." Rex said finally and Ahsoka did not see the point in arguing. He could recognize his vod's voice anywhere.

„Whoever that is, if the Empire finds out about us, we're toast. So, gentlemen, if you have any ideas now's the time to share." she said, her voice tense, fingers flying all over the control board. There had to be something… She tried twisting and turning, going up and down (wherever that is in space), rerouting all the power to the main engines…. The ship barely moved in the tractor beam's iron grip. She had a really bad feeling about this.

ooo

„Splendid, Captain. Now, we can get them on board and question the crew. I have a feeling we will have the most enlightening conversation" Admiral Thawn said leaning back in his chair on the bridge.

„Sir?" Cody felt like all he did lately was ask questions. The Admiral had that effect on him, and he did not yet know if it was a curse or a blessing.

„Everything tells me the passengers and crew of this shuttle are not typical Outer Rim scum fleeing Imperials. The flying style, the fake name of the vessel, even the false information about the contamination… Very interesting indeed."

„Admiral, Grand Moff Tarkin wishes to contact you " comm officer on the bridge informed the Chiss and Cody could swear he heard a tiny huff of irritation from the alien.

„Grand Moff" Thrawn said cooly when Tarkin's blue visage appeared on top of the tactical display.

AN: Thank you all for reading! So, I saw the new Rebels trailer and I guess that gave me a kick to write something - I hope it's worth your time! :)

„Thrawn, I thought my orders were clear enough, so even a daft alien like you could understand them!" the balding human spat viciously and Cody could feel his body shake with righteous anger at the words. „You are to annihilate, not capture! Destroy that ship in your tractor beam immediately!"

„With all due respect, _sir_ " Thrown's eyes narrowed when the uttered the last word „I think it would be prudent to question the crew of this vessel."

„What information could you possibly get from a bunch of Outer Rim scum?!" Tarkin turned to his now invisible officers and barked an order „Cannons, fire when ready."

The transmission ended and Cody gaped at the tactical display where only a second ago his most resented superior was visible. Thrawn was gazing in the same spot thoughtfully.

„Helm, turn us slowly twenty degrees starboard. I do realize we are on board a Star Destroyer, but try to fly casually. Tractor beam, lower the power to forty percent, shields, sixty percent" he said finally, a glint in his red eyes that Cody had never seen before.

A chorus of „Yes sir's!" echoed on the bridge and soon the gigantic ship was slowly turning towards the civvie shuttle.

„Are you… planning on covering them?" Cody looked at his Admiral incredulously, forgetting the formalities for a moment.

„Of course not, Captain. Why would I cover an insignificant civilian shuttle? Now watch and learn, we have about three seconds left."

Tarkin's _Dominator's_ cannons fired, narrowly missing _Scylla_. The raised shields took some of the laser's power, but the rest skidded like a pebble thrown on a lake, changed direction slightly and hit _Spark's_ upper part where no vital systems were located. There was a small explosion when the laser hit the hull and debris flew in all directions.

„Sir, we cannot control so many small elements with the tractor beam, the ship is slipping from our grasp!"

Thrawn said nothing, but kept looking at the tactical display intently.

„Sir!" the officer responsible for the beams turned in his chair, clearly waiting for orders, but none came. Two seconds later the _Spark_ broke free, dived under the Star Destroyer and went into hyperspace.

„And now, Captain" the Admiral said quietly, so only Cody could hear him „I need a believable systems malfunction before Grand Moff Tarkin graces us with his presence."


	12. Chapter 11

**AN:** Sorry for such a long wait! I hope you'll find this chapter amusing. A little bit of Rexoka goodness :) If you have time please review!

Chapter 13

„We've got a response to our distress signal from Bel Iblis. He says to go to these coordinates, lay low and wait for him. He'll be bringing some old friends. I dunno what he means by that though." Rex turned slightly in the navigator's chair and glanced at Ahsoka's back. They were left alone by Wolffe half and hour ago, the other clone claiming he had some sleep to catch up on before they met with their fellow rebels.

„Me too… That was a close call." the Togruta sighed and leaned in her seat, trying to will the stress away. „And what the hell were the Imps doing, attacking for no apparent reason? I mean, I know they are evil, but that was out of character, even for them."

„We can't assume we know anything about them. The Emperor is cunning and ruthless, he managed to fool the entire Galaxy. The clones and the new recruits are dangerous tools in his hands" the ex-captain said angrily, and the tone made Ahsoka turn the captain's seat around to face him.

„Rexter" the old nickname made the clone pause and look up at her face, cerulean eyes inquisitive. „What are you really so angry about?"

„I…" he paused, composed himself into the cold, indifferent persona he had been for the past few months and stood up. „I don't know what you mean" he was planning his strategic retreat when the door to the bridge slammed right in his face. Damn them Force users.

„Oh no you don't, mister!" he heard Ahsoka's loud voice, and she was clearly angry. He slowly turned around and almost gasped - he had not seen her like that in a long time. She was standing in front of him, her eyes turned into slits and… when did she get so tall? Her hands on her hips, chest heaving from poorly- suppressed fury, chevrons on her lekku darkening, he had to admit that the view involuntary turned him on. He was much more of a masochist than he suspected. „You are going to talk to me whether you like it or not! I thought we were a team, a family, and you keep distancing yourself from me all the time!"

„Well, maybe I have a reason for doing so and you poking your nose are not welcome!" he regretted the angry words as soon as they left his mouth, but he felt so kriffing blocked that an apology that should have followed the outburst never came. Instead, they just stood in the small space, fuming and glaring at each other for the longest moment. Surprisingly, it was Ahsoka's glare that softened first.

„Rex… why are we like this?" she asked sadly and it almost broke his resolve. He wanted to go and kiss the sadness away, but he knew that it was not his place. „I mean… we were best friends! We used to talk about everything, we used to be comfortable around each other. We both lost so much, why are you denying us our friendship?" she took a step in his direction and suddenly it felt like the temperature on the bridge rose a few degrees.

„Do you still think of us as friends?" he asked slowly, tentatively looking at her face. Rex was startled by how she'd changed and how he wasn't looking - made himself not look - at her for the past few months. The baby fat and awkward angles were gone, instead a perfectly shaped face of a fully-grown female emerged. She'd always been beautiful, but to his utter dismay, she became perfect. Even the familiar exasperated eye-roll was, to him, even more alluring than before. He was of course aware of the fact that he had been falling more and more in love with her every day. It was exactly for that reason he chose to ignore her, and now all the lost time was rushing to him with a ferocity of a Yavin gravity-storm. He cursed himself in his mind for asking such a needy-sounding question and hoped that she would not know the true meaning behind it.

„Of course I do!" she exclaimed and he breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't interpret his words as an invitation to become something more. „I've told you time and time again, that you. Are. My. Best. Friend. I need you in my life, not just as a fellow Rebel. I don't know what happened to you in the time we were apart, but you should know that you can tell me anything! Maybe… maybe if not now, than when you feel ready, but until then please don't shut me out!"

Ahsoka finished her tirade, chest heaving and skin flushed. He knew he did not have it in himself to say no to her when she was so visibly affected by his actions. He did not suspect it would bother her so.

„I don't know if I'll ever feel ready" he mumbled, looking at the star lines behind Ahsoka. „But I know you will hate me when you know everything."

„You can't know that… But what you are doing now is definitely destroying our relationship and I will not stand for it any longer. So… friends?" she came closer and offered Rex her hand with a hopeful expression on her face.

„Ahsoka… I…" he was at a loss of words, overwhelmed with emotion. His mind apparently decided to turn itself off, because the next thing he knew was the feel of her body against his as he clung to her. _Randomly hugging her - and it's not the first time! - good job you old creep!_

Ahsoka seemed satisfied with the turn of events and after the initial shock wore off, she willingly melted into his arms. She really needed to provoke more emotional outburst from him if they ended that way. She felt him pull away gingerly, and turned to face him, forgetting that their faces were now millimeters apart. She could see that his honey-brown eyes were blood-shot, small wrinkles forming around them, she could feel his breath come out in small puffs and she noticed that he was in a desperate need of a shave. He was perfect.  
Ahsoka could not help but to lean in a bit more, so that she could almost feel his chapped lips on her own. She was hyper aware of his every movement now, his warm hands on her upper-arms, his knee bumping into her thigh, his chest plate pressed onto her breasts. And after all those years of dancing around each other, she was finally going to kiss the man. This would be the very first kiss she has ever initiated.

BEEEP BEEEP BEEEP

„Oh, kriff!" she cursed and scrambled to turn off the hyperspace alarm. She focused on the nav computer, trying not to look at Rex, still rooted in the spot „We've reached our destination, I'm pulling us out of hyperspace now."

The ex-Captain seemed to regain some of his composure and in a few quick strides he was in the second pilot's seat, preparing to fly the ship. They were almost at the border of the Wild Space, it was not a good moment to be distracted.

When the light lines turned into blinking spots they noticed a big frigate, at first looking like it had seen better days, but to a trained eye the ship was heavily modified and upgraded. The owner just did not care for aesthetics or wanted to appear harmless.

„Unidentified vessel, this is _Steel Dream_." Rex nodded to Ahsoka, signifying that it was the name of the ship which Bel Iblis sent.

„ _Steel Dream_ , this is _Spark_. Our recognition code is aurek herf zero five. Do you copy?" the Togruta said clearly into the comm.

„Copy that. We're glad you guys are safe! Captain says you can come on board. _Steel Dream_ out."

„Well" Ahsoka glanced at Rex, one eye-marking raised „Let's hope they have a good welcoming committee."

Within ten minutes they were docked and the clones all stood in formation in front of the exit. Ahsoka stood at the head of her little group, a little nervous. It would be the first time ever to meet fellow Rebels, besides Bel Iblis and Bail. The _Spark's_ ramp lowered slowly and they exited their ship, eyes adjusting to the slightly brighter light aboard the frigate.

„Welcome! And may I say, you have aged well, Ahsoka?" an eerily familiar voice reverberated through the hangar.

„LUX?!"


End file.
